Gruyère aniseed bread

Very important beforehand: the dough must rest in the fridge overnight before you can shape it. So plan ahead!

Put 4 eggs and 250 g sugar into the mixing bowl.

Whisk the eggs and sugar on the highest setting for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. In the meantime, melt 100 g butter in the microwave at 600 watts for 30 seconds and set it aside.

Once the mixture is nice and fluffy, add 1/4 tsp ammonium carbonate and stir only briefly until it is incorporated. The raising agent later gives the aniseed bread its pleasant crispness.

Now add the melted butter and 90 g cream (35%) or double cream. Stir everything again with the whisk.

Add 25 g aniseed and 15 drops of aniseed essence and fold them in. By the way, you can get the aniseed essence at the pharmacy.

Now swap the whisk for the flat beater (K-hook), as the dough becomes very stiff and heavy. Add 625 g flour gradually, not all at once, and mix on a low setting. Otherwise your kitchen will quickly be covered in a cloud of flour!

Once the flour is fully incorporated, transfer the dough to a bowl and cover it directly with cling film. This prevents a dry skin from forming on top. Then pop it in the fridge overnight.

Take the dough out of the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before shaping it the next day, then it will be much easier to work with. Preheat the oven to 200 °C fan-assisted and line your trays with baking paper.

We bake on perforated trays: the heat is distributed much more evenly on them, and you can easily slide two or three trays into the oven at once. Finally, put some sugar in a deep plate.

Take a piece of dough weighing about 40 g and roll it between your hands into a ball.

Roll the ball into a strand about as thick as a little finger. Cut it with a knife into pieces about 12 cm long.

Roll each piece of dough in the sugar until it is nicely coated all over.

Use a knife to make 3 cuts across each sugared strand.

Join the two ends together and place the anise biscuits on the tray. Leave enough space between them, as they will still rise a little while baking.

Bake the anise biscuits for 7 to 10 minutes, depending on your oven. They may take on a little colour, but not too much. And your anise biscuits are ready!